Ülker Beverage Group, a subsidiary of Ülker Food Company, disclosed the company's growth targets in a press conference held yesterday at Çırağan Hotel in İstanbul, while also introducing a new product line to be launched in coming days.

Ülker Food and Beverage Group President Mehmet Tütüncü, Beverage Group General Manager Şener Astan and Beverage Group Vice General Manager Arzu Gökalp participated in developing a campaign to launch their new products. They also shared their views on the progress made so far in 2008.
They described their strategy for 2008 as "presenting the widest product range and creating product variety in order to satisfy consumer preferences."

Tütüncü emphasized that they are an important player in the beverage sector as they produce the widest range of beverages. He said the company is motivated by young people who want to try new products and are increasingly health conscious. Thus they try to meet young people's demands by offering "healthy and tasty" beverages. Tütüncü claimed to be the forerunner of the innovative beverage culture in the country.

With six new brands and 20 new beverages, the company is aiming for YTL 738 million in total sales in 2008, up from YTL 625 million in 2007. Tütüncü stated that the company meets demand for all kinds of beverage, including soft drinks, natural mineral water, energy drinks and ice tea. Tütüncü said they aim to increase total beverage production by 11 percent to 676 million liters per year.

Astan stressed that Turkey's beverage market growth is YTL 3.6 billion and that Ülker Beverage Group has a 10 percent share of the market. Astan mentioned that in spring of 2007 the company had bought the Bahar Su Eskipazar facilities, from which they were able to introduce Ülker Flores Natural Mineral Water in February 2008.

Gökalp claimed that they had added diversity and new segments to the beverage sector by introducing their new drinks Flores, Maltana, Oranj, Portakal-Çilek, Portakal-Mango, Portakal- Ananas, Cola-Turka Zero Sugar, Chill Out Ice-Tea, Link Lemonade and Çamlıca Lemonade.

She stated that they had entered the mineral water market with their health drink Flores. "Flores is natural mineral water, bottled at the source, and preserves its rich mineral compounds and elements," she said, adding that the company had invested $10 million in Flores and was expecting bottle sales to reach 80 million per year. Gökalp added that Maltana is the first fruit aromatic malt beverage to be produced in Turkey.

Ülker is the largest consumer goods company in Turkey's food industry, and it exports its products to 78 countries. The company's core products are cookies, crackers and chocolates, although Ülker has expanded to other product categories. In December 2007 the company agreed to acquire Godiva chocolatier from Campbell Soup Co. for $850 million. The company also has operations in the packaging, real estate and telecommunication sectors.

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